Talk:BreakTheInternet/@comment-5483266-20170507002636
So I started Dear White People and here are some of my thoughts: *This show has the best narrator on television, next to the ones on JTV and ASOUE. Everything he says is on point and wryly hilarious, a perfect summation of the series' tone: lacing some uncomfortable racial truths with a veneer of sharp wit and satiric edge. Gotta love Gus Fring. *Sam is my favourite so far, but then again, that's a given. xD I love that she speaks truth to power and holds Pastiche (and the world at large) accountable on her radio show with righteous indignation and fury, yet she's equal parts vulnerable and flawed as she is poised and vivacious. I can't imagine how much pressure Sam must feel on the daily, being the voice of black struggle on her podcast yet having her personal decisions bear the scrutiny of both the Black community and the white student body. That being said though, she could do miles better than Gabe. *Reggie and Lionel are tied for my favourite male character so far (leaning more towards Reggie rn), though they couldn't be more different. Reggie just exudes this heartbreaking, quiet intensity that I can't wait to see unfold on screen in King Barry Jenkins' episode. His very existence deconstructs the racist stereotypes imposed upon Black men; the indictment that they're physically aggressive, violent, inherently "Other". Reggie exposes these institutional and interpersonal biases for what they are with humour, charisma, an enormous, aching heart and a heaping dose of humanity. I could potentially ship him with Sam, if they ever choose to pursue a relationship and it ceases to be one-sided, because the last thing I'd want is for Reggie to be strung along without ever having his feelings reciprocated. Clearly, he left a strong impression on me. xD *Lionel is my precious son. He's soft-spoken, shy, a wee bit socially awkward but extremely passionate about social issues and just as much of an activist as Sam. I've barely begun his individual episode but it was so sad to see him struggle to fit in with his peers and navigating homophobic spaces in the Black community. I look forward to seeing him find love and confidence in his identity as the show progresses. *I don't even have to watch a second of Scandal to know that Defamation is better, even as a parody. That re-enactment of Olivia/Fitz's dynamic is too accurate for its own good, lmao. *Joelle is great, omg. I love her carefree personality, her sass, and the fact that she's not afraid to call out ignorance or shortsightedness whenever she comes across it. She's a fantastic, supportive friend and I'd love to see more of her, preferably with a story of her own. *I saw some gifsets that "spoiled" a bit of Coco's character arc but she definitely intrigued me right from the start and the exchange about hair she shared with Sam speaks volumes about Eurocentric beauty standards and the assimilation dark-skinned Black girls undergo everyday to render themselves more palatable in the eyes of society. I'm eager to watch her grow, and from what I've seen, I will be very invested in her friendship with Sam. *It was so interesting to see how all these Black college groups participated in intra-community discussions and how everyone had differing but no less valid perspectives on certain matters and the manners in which they express themselves: this just reinforces that there is no singular way to be black in America, and that the black struggle is deeply felt and perpetuated in lived experiences that not even the most well-meaning white people are aware of whenever they drop microaggressions about a black woman's hair or a black man's demeanor. *This show couldn't be more relevant, especially in the age of Trump. It addresses racism, race relations, colorism, history, themes of cultural appropriation, unwinding the political from the personal (you can't) with a powerful combination of incisive social satire and harsh sincerity. Be that as it may these are fictional students in a fictional school, they all feel hauntingly real (as do their issues) and serve as a scathing reminder that racism in all shapes and forms permeates the reality we live in. *I can't praise this series enough for engaging with such potent discourse, raising awareness and educating its audience through entertainment that couldn't have arrived at a better time in our contemporary political climate. Everything from the writing, the ethereal cinematography, the galvanizing music cues, pop culture references, and especially the performers who breathe life into their characters is just brilliant. The masses of white people foaming at the mouth and feeling some kind of unwarranted way over the show's title are missing the point and ironically proving DWP right, prioritizing white fragility over the lives of people of color and the discrimination they face. Oh well, sux2suc. I definitely want to watch the film now.